Biological Activity of Laccase Extracted from Agaricus nevoi

Background: In this study, we delved into the biological activities of a purified laccase enzyme derived from Agaricus nevoi. Fungal laccases are celebrated for their array of biochemical capabilities, including their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Objective: Our goal was to assess the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer efficacy of the purified laccase, and to evaluate its safety for normal cells. Methodology: We tested the antimicrobial activity using the agar diffusion method against several pathogens including Candida tropicalis, Candida albicans, E. coli, and S. aureus. We assessed the antioxidant capacity using the DPPH assay and compared the results with ascorbic acid. Additionally, we evaluated cytotoxicity with the MTT assay on various cell lines, namely MCF-7, PC3, and HdFn. Results: The laccase showed significant antimicrobial activity E. coli, which showed the largest inhibition zone of 16.5mm, while S. aureus displayed the smallest at 14.5mm when tested at a concentration of 0.5µg/mlIts antioxidant activity peaked at 200µg/ml, comparable to ascorbic acid. Regarding cytotoxic effects, cancer cell viability reduced in a concentration-dependent manner, with MCF-7 cells decreasing from 94.4% to 52.6% and PC3 from 95.3% to 67.1%. In contrast, the viability of normal HdFn cells decreased less dramatically, from 95.1% to 74.7%, suggesting a selective toxicity toward cancer cells. Conclusion: The purified laccase from Agaricus nevoi shows considerable antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities, and importantly, it demonstrates selective toxicity against cancer cells. This positions it as a promising candidate for further exploration in biomedical applications.